Botany Quiz 401

If you think you know your botany and the basic terms, try these advanced terms.
Or perhaps you can learn a few new ones? Most relate to herbaceous perennials in
general, all to the genus Primula specifically, and are taken from the
book by John Richards on this genus. Match the definition, with the term.
Answers follow.

1. flower morph (expression of a gene) in which
the style is short, so the stigma is within the corolla tube, and the
anthers are at the mouth of the flower

a. pin

2. longitudinal alignment of young leaves

b. vernation

3. flower morph in which the style is long, so
the stigma is at the mouth of the flower, the anthers inserted in the
corolla tube

c. thrum

4. plants that have either pin or thrum type
flowers

d. meal

5. plants with only one flower type, the
anthers and stigma at the same level

e. heterostylous

6. white or yellow crystalline pigments
(farina) typical in many primrose species

f. saccate

7. localized species, of ancient origin, which
were originally more widespread

g. homostylous

8. flower bracts, forming a small pouch at the
base

h. annulate

9. flowers with a ring-like constriction at the
base of the corolla

i. erose

10. an irregular margin or border, as if
nibbled by an animal

j. palaeoendemic

Answers:

1. c

2. b

3. a

4. e

5. g

6. d

7. j

8. f

9. h

10. i

How did you do? If you got 1-2 correct: good, you're a serious gardener; 3-4
correct: excellent, are you a primrose expert? 5 or more correct: you're a
botanist!